Today (11th May) the Queen outlined the Government’s priorities for the new parliamentary session at the State Opening of Parliament. The Queen’s Speech formally sets out Government legislation and parliamentary priorities, with this year focused on national recovery from the pandemic.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will introduce legislation to increase sentences for the most serious and violent offenders and ensure the timely and effective administration of justice. Findings from ACS’ 2021 Crime Report, revealed that 89% of colleagues working in local shops have experienced some form of abuse, with over 1.2million incidents recorded over the last year.
On tackling violence, ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Violence and abuse has a significant impact on retailers and shopworkers, and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill offers an opportunity to introduce enhanced sentences for those committing assaults on these community heroes. We should not miss this chance to send a clear message to offenders that these incidents are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
It was also confirmed that the Environment Bill will be carried into the next Parliament and will include measures to tackle use of plastics and revolutionise recycling, including the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS) and an extended producer responsibility (EPR) will be legislated under the passage of this bill.
On the environment, ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The Environment Bill is the opportunity to tackle plastic waste and reduce littering, and we want to make these new measures workable for local shops. Working with the Government to make the Environment Bill a success is one of ACS’ top priorities for the new parliament.”
Other measures announced in this Queen’s Speech include:
- A new Skills and Post-16 Education Bill to "support a lifetime skills guarantee"
- A Subsidy Control Bill will set out post-Brexit regulations on how the government can support private companies
- Extension of 5G mobile coverage and gigabit-capable broadband
- An independent Office for Environmental Protection will be created
- A Health and Care Bill to address complex health challenges such as obesity and smoking
Further details will be published by the Government on each of the measures announced in due course.
